Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's faculty and staff are recognized for their hard work through a variety of Named Awards. This resource aims to bring all these awards together. The categories range from supporting continuing education, excellence in nursing, research, patient care and leadership.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital has 23 named awards that recognize employees across all departments. The earliest, the Schmidlapp Scholar Award, was established in 1907 and the most recent, the Eubanks Zenith Award, was established in 2020. Below is a chronological summary of the named awards.
| Award | Description | Year |
| Schmidlapp Scholar | Cincinnati Children’s established the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Women Scholars Program with a $500,000 grant from the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee. The program is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States. The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund was created in 1907 by a gift from former Fifth Third president Jacob G. Schmidlapp in memory of his daughter, Charlotte, who died at the age of 19. Mr. Schmidlapp directed that grants be restricted to helping women establish themselves in life. The tradition and history of the fund have been to assist women by helping them gain an education and access to services. |
1907 |
| Carl Weihl Award in Pediatrics | Carl Weihl, MD, started a teaching fund in his name on his 60th birthday. Dr. Weihl died suddenly in September 1982 at the age of 62. Children’s Hospital Medical Center raised $800,000 and endowed a chair in the Division of Ambulatory Services and Community Pediatrics in his honor in 1983. This award has been given to a graduating UC medical student entering pediatrics or a combined pediatrics residency who achieved the highest overall grade score during their pediatric clerkship. In 2020, oversight on the selection of the award winner was placed with the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee in the Department of Pediatrics. | 1980 |
| B. Robison-Sporck Outstanding Nurse Award | Barbara Robison Sporck-Stegmaier established the B. Robison-Sporck Outstanding Nursing Award in 1984 in memory of her father, Ellis Robison. This award is presented annually to support and encourage excellence in nursing by honoring an outstanding clinical nurse. Nominees have exhibited strong clinical knowledge, a positive attitude, family-centered care, high standards of practice, and dedication to pediatric nursing. |
1984 |
| Carolyn Stoll Award | The Carolyn Stoll Award was established to support nursing-led research through the funding of clinical studies. It was established in 1990 to honor Carolyn Stoll, the past vice president of the Division of Nursing. | 1990 |
| Procter/Child Health Research Career Development Scholar | The Procter and Child Health Research Career Development (CHRCDA) (K12) Awards have created a common program for the career development of pediatric physician-scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The joint program combines institutional support (Procter funds) with support from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded CHRCDA/K12 into a single program. This will allow all pediatric junior faculty physician-scientists to apply using a common application and is designed to facilitate the development of successful, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded pediatric physician-scientists at our institution. This award provides institutional support for those pediatric physician-scientists who will pursue research-intensive careers and obtain independent K awards from NIH. | 1991 |
| Maggie Montgomery Award | Established in 2000, the Maggie Montgomery Award honors a much-loved Health Unit Coordinator who died shortly after her retirement. The award recognizes a Health Unit Coordinator whose positive attitude and dedication contribute to an outstanding professional environment. | 2000 |
| DAISY Award | DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The not-for-profit foundation was formed in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at the age of 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). To be considered for the award, nominees had to demonstrate both compassionate care and superior clinical skills. | 2009 |
| Ruth Lyons Award of Excellence in Child Life & Integrative Care | This award is reserved for an individual whose practice demonstrates emotional care for patients, families, and colleagues that is of the highest caliber. The Ruth Lyons Award is given to a division member that is known for his or her compassion, effective collaboration, family-centered care, and ethical behavior. In 1931, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center became the second hospital in the country to provide a paid staff person to meet the psychosocial needs of children. In the 1960s there were four staff, a director, a librarian, two assistants, and a group of volunteers. By the late 1990s, the program had grown to include over 40 paid employees. The support of the Child Life Division has received for over 50 years from the Ruth Lyons Fund compelled us to honor Ruth Lyons’ Cincinnati and national legacy by naming the award after her. The Ruth Lyons Award of Excellence in Child Life & Integrative Care is given annually during Child Life and Integrative Care Month to a Child Life and Integrative Care staff member who possesses the outstanding qualities that have allowed the profession to flourish at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. In 2012, the Child Life and Integrative Care departments merged to become one unified division. The team encompasses administrative support staff, child life specialists, clinical assistants, holistic health specialists, music therapists, art therapists, media specialists, and—new to our team in 2017—recreational therapists, working across Main Campus, Liberty, Green Township, Starshine Hospice, and College Hill. |
2010 |
| The Melanie Hunt Memorial Registered Dietitian Award For Excellence In Nutrition | This award was established by the Division of Nutrition Therapy Coordinating Council in the year 2010 to honor Melanie Hunt, a former Cincinnati Children’s dietitian who provided 42 years of service to the genetics and phenylketonuria (PKU) population. Melanie provided excellent patient care and contribution to the division as well as to the field of nutrition with a positive attitude, dedication, and clinical performance that contributed to an outstanding professional image and working environment within the hospital and community at large. | 2010 |
| Arnold Strauss Fellow Award | As part of the Arnold W. Strauss Fellow Award, the Office of Pediatric Clinical Fellowships (OPCF) and the Global Health Center partnered together to offer a unique research opportunity in global health for clinical fellows. The Strauss Fellowship for Global Health Award provides $13,000 in research funds (including a $3,000 travel allowance) for up to 2 clinical fellows with specific career interests in global health and research as a career. The award was instituted in 2014 in honor of Dr. Arnold Strauss' tireless efforts at advocacy and championship towards higher education at Cincinnati Children's. The goal of the Arnold W. Strauss Fellow Award is to provide research funds for Clinical Fellows to prepare the awardee for sustained research and extramural funding following the completion of their fellowship training. | 2014 |
| Susan R. Allen Leadership in Nursing Award | In honor of Susie Allen, RN, Ph.D., assistant vice president, Patient Services, and her 40-year career at Cincinnati Children’s, an award has been established in her name to recognize excellence in nursing leadership. This annual award was announced by Cheryl Hoying, RN, Ph.D., senior vice president, of Patient Services, on July 27, at Allen's farewell celebration in Sabin Auditorium. | 2017 |
| Dr. Curtis Sheldon Award for Compassionate Care |
The award is named for long-time Cincinnati Children’s urologist and founding member of the Schwartz Center Rounds Curtis Sheldon, MD. It is given to a staff member who:
|
2019 |
| Cole-Montgomery Award | Angie White-Cole, the former clinical director of the Specialty Resource Unit-Clinical Support Team for whom the name of the award was changed upon her retirement in 2020. |
2020 |
| Eubanks Zenith Award |
Every year the Respiratory Care Division presents the Zenith Award. This award was developed to recognize an individual therapist who has demonstrated the qualities of Leadership, Professionalism, and Motivation in the past year. We will honor a respiratory therapist within the Division of Respiratory Care and Department of Patient Services whose positive attitude, dedication, and clinical performance contributes to an outstanding professional image and working environment within the hospital and community at large. In 2020, Julie Feldstein was named the first Eubanks Zenith Award Recipient. The Respiratory Care Award honors the former clinical director. The award was renamed this year in honor of Tina Eubanks, former clinical director, who died in August 2019. Mike Jaeger, BS, RRT, clinical manager, PICU/Complex Airway, said that the new name for the award brings Tina’s legacy to the forefront. “Tina not only enhanced the image of Respiratory Care within this hospital but the surrounding communities. ‘"Together We Got This" is the motto that our division created because this is how we will carry out the standards of patient care that Tina constantly strived for." |
2020 |
| Robert E. Davis Award of Excellence | Robert E. Davis Award, named for the department of Patient Escort Team founder who has been described by his colleagues as a man of grace, integrity, and exquisite attentiveness. The award was established in memory of Davis for his 20 years of service to Cincinnati Children’s and his vision which helped create the Patient Escort Team. Paul Schuh, patient escort, paid tribute to Davis, who demonstrated outstanding abilities in quality, teamwork, productivity, service orientation, efficiency, communication, professionalism, and leadership. Winners are chosen based on these same abilities. | 2003? |
| Burton R. Pease Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership | The Pease family established the award as a thank-you for the outstanding nursing care received by Burton Pease’s daughter, Sally, when she was hospitalized here many years ago with a traumatic brain injury. The Burton R. Pease Award was made possible by the generosity of Bill Pease, MD, as a tribute to his father. Pease and his parents observed the excellence of leadership shared with the nursing staff when his sister Sally was treated here over 50 years ago using an innovative hypothermia treatment. |
2012? |
| Carol McKenzie Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing | The Carol McKenzie Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing was established by The Center for Professional Excellence Advanced Practice Nursing along with the Division of Pediatric Surgery. The award honors the memory of our colleague Carol McKenzie who passed away in 2012 after a tragic accident. Carol was known for her dedication, enthusiasm, positive attitude, and commitment to teamwork as part of the excellent care she provided. The purpose of the award is to recognize an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse(APRN) at Cincinnati Children’s whose positive attitude, commitment to teamwork, and clinical leadership contribute to an outstanding professional environment that distinguishes them at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. | 2018? |
| E.W. Edwards Award |
Quarterly award for outstanding job performance. |
n.d. |
| Louise W. Rauh Award for Academic Excellence, Leadership, and Community Service | Awarded to a 4th year UC medical student based on: ⦁ Academic excellence ⦁ Leadership skills ⦁ Community service ⦁ Financial need is also considered ⦁ The award was administered by the Women’s Faculty Association up to 2020 |
n.d. |
| Procter K-to-R Transition Award | The Procter K-to-R Transition Awards are designed to address the needs of early-career physician-scientists who are not eligible for the Procter/Child Health Research Career Development (CHRCDA) Scholar Awards and to assist physician-scientists who are dedicated to research-intensive careers in obtaining R-level grant funding from National Institutes of Health (NIH). In general, these awards are meant as pilot or supplemental funding leading to R01 funding from NIH. An R-level grant should be planned within 2 years of receiving this award. | n.d. |
| Procter Scholar Award | The goal of the Procter Scholar Program is to support the development of highly skilled faculty members who have a primary appointment at Cincinnati Children’s (Departments of Pediatrics, Surgery, Radiology, and Anesthesia) and who have a strong commitment to pursuing a career in academic research. | n.d. |
| Richard Akeson Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award | The award was announced during the 42nd Annual Graduate Student Research Forum. The award honors Richard Akeson, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Pediatrics, who died from cancer in 1993. He had received the college’s Excellence in Teaching Award from graduate students shortly before his death. | n.d. |
| Ann Brandner Award for Excellence in Social Work | Cincinnati Children’s awards one social worker/clinical counselor. The award honors the memory of, Ann Brandner, who was a founding member of the Social Service Division in 1978. Each year, the award is given to a social worker or clinical counselor that reflects Ann’s passion for helping patients and families, high-achieving clinical performance and professionalism, and the teamwork and encouragement she fostered among her colleagues. | n.d. |
About the Daniel Drake Medal
According to the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, the Daniel Drake Medal was created in 1985 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of its founder, the physician Daniel Drake. In the first year, Drs, Albert B. Sabin, and Josef Warkany were awarded the medal for their contributions to medical research.
For more information:
Daniel Drake Medal | About the Medal: https://med.uc.edu/about/daniel-drake-medal (accessed 2023-03-14)
Exhibit Unveiled Honoring Daniel Drake and Drake Medal Recipients: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/legacy/healthnews/2013/05/exhibit-unveiled-honoring-daniel-drake-and-drake-medal-recipients.html (accessed 2023-03-14)
William F. Balistreri, MD
Drake Medal, 2006
One of the world's foremost authorities on pediatric gastroenterology and liver disease, Dr. Balistreri is the medical director of Cincinnati Children's Pediatric Liver Care Center and Pediatric Liver Transplant Program.
Dr. Balistreri earned his medical degree at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine in 1970. He was a pediatric resident at Cincinnati Children's from 1971 to 1972 and a postdoctoral fellow from 1972 to 1974. He did a research fellowship in the gastroenterology division at the Mayo Clinic before being appointed assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1976.
Dr. Balistreri joined Cincinnati Children's in 1978 and was also named associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. In 1984 he was named Dorothy M. M. Kersten Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's and in 1991 became Professor of Medicine at UC.
Author of over 400 publications, including original articles, editorials, reviews, and book chapters, Dr. Balistreri has been listed multiple times in "Best Doctors in America:' In 2000 he became the first pediatrician to serve as president of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. He has held office in or is a member of numerous scholarly societies.
Dr. Balistreri's honors include the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (1995), the Murray Davidson Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Gastroenterology and Nutrition (1999), and the Shwachman Award (1999) from the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
Among other editorial responsibilities, he is editor of the Journal of Pediatrics, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and co-editor of the prestigious text "Liver Disease in Children:'
Helen K. Berry, MA
Drake Medal, 1991
Thomas Boat, MD
Drake Medal, 2005
Dr. Boat was the director of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati. He was also physician-in-chief and a member of the board of trustees of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Boat served as interim provost for health affairs at UC in 2003.
A pediatric pulmonologist, Dr. Boat worked early in his career to define the pathophysiology of airway dysfunction and develop more effective therapies for chronic lung diseases of childhood, such as cystic fibrosis. He has worked at local and national levels to expand child health research, enhance subspecialty training, and improve clinical outcomes and family and caregiver satisfaction in pediatrics.
Dr. Boat joined Cincinnati Children's in 1993 after serving as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Previously, he was co-director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland.
When Dr. Boat joined Cincinnati Children's and UC, the Department of Pediatrics included 144 faculty members, with total external grant funding of less than $20 million. In 2005, the department had more than 375 full- and part-time faculty. Total sponsored-program awards exceeded $125 million, including $85 million in annual National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. In addition, more than 20 new division chiefs have been appointed since 1993, and nearly a dozen new divisions or programs have been created. He has also fostered the improvement of patient care and translational research, resulting in the rapid growth of clinical programs and measurable improvements in child health care delivery and outcomes.
Lester W. Martin, MD
Drake Medal, 1990
Waldo Nelson, MD
Drake Medal, 1990
Edward L. Pratt, MD
Drake Medal, 1987
Albert B. Sabin, MD (1906-1993)
Drake Medal, 1985
Albert B. Sabin, MD was a pre-eminent Medical investigator dedicated to researching the causes and cures of viruses and diseases and his research was augmented by his global perspective of collaboration. He’s been described as a relentless researcher and humanitarian. In addition to his research on the oral polio vaccine, Sabin conducted groundbreaking work on pneumococcal infections, encephalitis, Enteric cytopathic human orphan (ECHO) viruses, sandfly fever, dengue, herpes, toxoplasmosis, and the relationships between viruses and cancer, arthritis, and measles.
Albert was recruited to Cincinnati Children's by A. Graeme Mitchell, MD, B.K. Rachford Professor & Chair of Pediatrics, the University of Cincinnati in 1939 to direct the Division of Virology and Infectious Immunology.
To learn more about Dr. Sabin's groundbreaking work, see the following for more information:
Dr. Albert Sabin Interview, 1979
Dr. Albert Sabin Interview, 1987
The Albert B. Sabin Archives at the University of Cincinnati
William Gerhardt Research Collection (MS-3). Series A. Biographical Files. Folder: Sabin, Albert [Correspondence], 1938-1992. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Archives
Josef Warkany, MD (1902-1992)
Daniel Drake Medal, 1985
Josef Warkany, MD, physician, researcher, and artist, was born in Vienna, Austria in 1902 and attended medical school there from 1920-1925. During this period his interest in the nervous system began at the Institute of Neurology and the Institute of Physiological Chemistry. His first publication came in 1924 which summarized the results of microscopic studies of connections between the globus pallidus and substantia nigra. During his Residency in 1926-27, Warkany studied under the physician and Director of the Vienna University Pediatric Clinic, Clemens von Pirquet, famous for developing a skin test for tuberculosis[DJ1] . In 1928, Warkany was Professor Leopold Mott’s assistant and treated many children with congenital defects.
Warkany arrived from Vienna on January 1, 1932, with 21 publications to his name, to join the new Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation for a one-year fellowship. He was recruited by Albert Graeme Mitchell, MD, and spent his entire career at Cincinnati Children’s in the Division of Human Genetics. Warkany was part of Mitchell’s dream team of researchers that included [sabin,……..]
Early in his career at Cincinnati Children’s, he was tapped to run the endocrine clinic with his research focused on nutrition, metabolism, endocrinology, and genetics. This was a move away from his formative studies in Vienna of the central nervous system. In his first ten years of research at Cincinnati Children’s, he and his colleagues conducted experiments that showed the relationship between maternal nutritional deficiencies and congenital malformations in the young. Out of this research came the establishment of the “field of experimental teratology and provided the scientific framework for approaching the etiology and pathogenesis for congenital malformations.”
In the 1950s, conferences were held to discuss the problem of malformations and their causes. These conferences led to the establishment of the Teratology Society which was formed on April 10, 1960. The Society selected Warkany as its first president.
Warkany’s studies also included the association of mercury with acrodynia. In 1961 he published the framework for the diagnostic approach to many newborn problems in Intrauterine Growth Retardation. His publications through the 1950s singled out the association of environmental factors with birth defects. The observations that led to this conclusion were experimental and clinical.
In 1966 Warkany became the Director of Mental Retardation Research, Institute for Developmental Research at Children’s Hospital Research Foundation. He stayed in this position for ten years and continued at Cincinnati Children’s until [1978].
Warkany received the following awards for his lifetime of research:
William Cooper Procter Medallion, 1979
For more information on Josef Warkany, MD
Interview of Josef Warkany, MD, 1980
Interview of Josef Warkan, MD, 1987
Sources
William Gerhardt Research Collection (MS-3). Series A. Biographical files, 1873-2020. Folder: Warkany, Josef, 1926-1969. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Archives.
Lemire R, J: Josef Warkany’s Contributions to the Evolution of Neuroteratology. Pediatr Neurosurg 1988;14:38-41. doi: 10.1159/000120360
[DJ1]Warkany suffered from TB 1949-1951 and was treated at the Trudeau Sanatorium